Napoleon Hill, the legendary author of Think and Grow Rich, once said: “The number one reason people fail in life is because they listen to their friends, family, and neighbors.” For court reporting students, this truth is sharper than ever.
The path to becoming a certified stenographer is not only academically and mentally demanding—it is also socially misunderstood. Most people outside the profession don’t realize what it takes to write at 225 words per minute, to master legal vocabulary, or to sit for one of the toughest professional exams in the country. So when students seek encouragement or validation, they often hear doubt instead: “Isn’t AI replacing that?” … “That sounds too hard.” … “Why don’t you do something easier?”
The sad reality is that many talented students quit, not because they lack ability, but because they listened to the wrong voices. If you want to succeed, you need to know exactly who to tune out—and whose voices to let in.
The Problem with Listening to Friends, Family, and Neighbors
When Hill spoke about failure, he wasn’t saying your loved ones wish you harm. Quite the opposite. Friends and family often give advice out of love and concern. But love doesn’t equal knowledge.
- Friends may see the late nights, the frustration, the hours spent practicing dictation, and think they’re helping you by suggesting an easier career.
- Family may worry about financial security and push you toward jobs they understand—nursing, teaching, office work—rather than a field they know little about.
- Neighbors or acquaintances often repeat what they’ve heard in headlines: “Isn’t voice recognition taking over?” “Didn’t they say there’s no shortage anymore?”
None of these people are malicious. But their opinions are rooted in ignorance, not expertise. If you internalize their doubts, you risk sabotaging your own progress.
What Makes Court Reporting Different
Court reporting isn’t like studying for a traditional degree where most people grasp the concept: lectures, exams, a diploma, a job. Steno is a skill-based trade, closer to Olympic athletics or concert piano than to college coursework.
- You are training your brain, ears, and fingers to work in perfect synchronization.
- You are building speed through hours of deliberate, often monotonous practice.
- Progress is nonlinear: you plateau, you break through, you plateau again.
- It requires resilience, self-belief, and a tolerance for being misunderstood.
Most outsiders cannot comprehend this kind of discipline. And because they can’t understand it, they often dismiss it. If you listen, you risk absorbing their limitations.
Whose Voices Should You Listen To?
Hill didn’t mean you should ignore all advice. He meant you should be selective about your influences. As a court reporting student, here are the voices you should prioritize:
- Working Court Reporters
These professionals live the life you’re training for. They know the real challenges—and the real rewards. Seek mentors. Ask questions. Observe how they handle the pressure of depositions, trials, and transcript production. Their encouragement is rooted in firsthand experience. - Teachers and Coaches
Your instructors have guided hundreds of students. They know the pitfalls, the bad habits, and the shortcuts that don’t work. If they tell you to practice in a certain way, trust them over a neighbor who has never touched a steno machine. - Peers Who Push You Higher
Not all classmates are equal. Some will complain, gossip, or look for excuses. Others will push themselves—and you—to the next level. Align with the latter. Iron sharpens iron. - Your Future Self
Visualization is powerful. Picture yourself passing the CSR or RPR. Picture your name on the transcript cover page. Imagine earning a six-figure income while preserving justice. That voice—the voice of your future self—should be louder than any doubter’s.
How to Protect Your Mindset
Success in stenography is as much mental as mechanical. Here are practical steps to keep yourself resilient against negativity:
1. Create Boundaries Around Your Dream
When someone asks, “What are you studying again?” don’t feel the need to justify your path. A simple answer—“Court reporting. It’s a specialized legal profession, and I love it”—is enough. You don’t owe anyone a TED Talk.
2. Control Your Inputs
Be intentional about what you read, watch, and listen to. Fill your mind with stories of successful reporters, motivational books, and industry news. Limit your exposure to social media threads filled with negativity or misinformation.
3. Track Your Progress
Doubts creep in most when you forget how far you’ve come. Keep a journal of your words-per-minute milestones, accuracy scores, and hours practiced. On tough days, review your progress and remind yourself that growth is happening.
4. Build a Mastermind Group
Napoleon Hill himself was a proponent of “mastermind alliances”—small groups of like-minded people working toward similar goals. For steno, this could be a practice group, a study partner, or even an online accountability chat. The right group can drown out the noise of skeptics.
Stories of Success Despite Doubt
Every court reporter has a story about someone who didn’t believe in them.
- One student’s professor told her she would “never make it past 160 wpm.” She now works full time in federal court.
- Another was told by his family to quit after failing the CSR twice. He kept going, passed on his third try, and now freelances with earnings above $120,000 a year.
- A mother of three was told by her neighbors she was “too busy” to succeed. Today, she owns her own court reporting firm.
What do these stories prove? That outside voices mean nothing if you remain committed.
Reframing Negativity as Fuel
Instead of seeing doubt as discouragement, use it as motivation. When someone says, “Isn’t that impossible?” translate it in your head to: “I don’t know how, but you’re about to show me.”
The most successful people in every field—from athletes to entrepreneurs—use criticism as fuel. Court reporting is no different. Every dismissive comment can become the spark that drives you through another hour of speedbuilding.
Why This Matters Beyond School
This lesson—tuning out the wrong voices—doesn’t end once you graduate. As a working reporter, you’ll still encounter people who misunderstand your profession: attorneys who think digital recording is “just as good,” agencies that try to undercut your worth, or outsiders who ask if you “just type what people say.”
The discipline you build now—trusting yourself, filtering influences, protecting your mindset—will serve you throughout your career. It is not just about passing school. It is about sustaining a profession that depends on resilience.
Final Word to Students
Napoleon Hill’s warning is simple but timeless: people fail because they listen to the wrong voices. If you are a court reporting student, don’t let that be your story.
Listen to the professionals who have walked the path. Listen to your teachers. Listen to the small, steady voice inside you that knows you are capable.
And when friends, family, or neighbors say it’s too hard, too outdated, or too uncertain? Smile politely, then go back to your machine. Because the only voice that ultimately matters—the one that determines whether you succeed or fail—is yours.
StenoImperium
Court Reporting. Unfiltered. Unafraid.
Disclaimer
“This article includes analysis and commentary based on observed events, public records, and legal statutes.”
The content of this post is intended for informational and discussion purposes only. All opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are based on publicly available information, industry standards, and good-faith concerns about nonprofit governance and professional ethics. No part of this article is intended to defame, accuse, or misrepresent any individual or organization. Readers are encouraged to verify facts independently and to engage constructively in dialogue about leadership, transparency, and accountability in the court reporting profession.
- The content on this blog represents the personal opinions, observations, and commentary of the author. It is intended for editorial and journalistic purposes and is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
- Nothing here constitutes legal advice. Readers are encouraged to review the facts and form independent conclusions.
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